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The Administration will introduce new legislative measures to fulfil Hong Kong's international obligation to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel.
The Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel Bill will be gazetted tomorrow (May 4) and introduced into the Legislative Council on May 17.
The Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel (the Convention) requires State Parties to take all necessary measures to protect these personnel by establishing criminal offences punishable by appropriate penalties, and by co-operating in the prevention of such crimes and in providing assistance to one another in connection with criminal proceedings.
A spokesman for the Security Bureau said today (May 3) that Hong Kong's existing administrative measures and legislation already complied with most Convention requirements.
"The Bill seeks to establish extra-territorial jurisdiction over Chinese nationals who are Hong Kong permanent residents committing the crimes proscribed by the Convention outside Hong Kong, in accordance with the requirement of the Convention," he said.
"The Bill also sets out a maximum penalty of imprisonment for 10 years for threats to commit an attack proscribed by the Convention, to reflect the internationally recognised need to deter the offence."
After the Bill is passed, the Administration will make subsidiary legislation - the International Organizations (Privileges and Immunities) (United Nations and Associated Personnel) Order [the IO Order]; and the Fugitive Offenders (Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel) Order [the FO Order] - for negative vetting by the Legislative Council.
The IO Order is to give effect to the requirement of the Convention that if United Nations and associated personnel are captured or detained in the course of the performance of their duties, they shall not be subjected to interrogation and they shall be promptly released and returned to the United Nations or other appropriate authorities.
The FO Order will implement the extradition requirements of the Convention.
Ends/Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:31
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